Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 5 · Lecture 61
Lecture LXI. On Psalme 51.5. Iune 19. 1627.
THe uses that this doctrine serveth unto, are foure principally, 1 To informe and settle our judgements, 2 To humble and abate the pride of our hearts, 3 To exhort us to seeke the cure of this dangerous leprosy, 4 and lastly, To breed thankfullnesse in our hearts towards God, and admiration of his goodnes to such vile wretches as we are.
For the first,Vse 1. This Doctrine serveth notably to confirme us against popery by discovering to us the grosse errour of the Papists in their doctrine of originall sin. And yet would I (according to my custome) content my selfe to ground and confirme you in the truth, and not trouble you with confuting their errours, were it not for three reasons that move me to it. 1. That by confirming you against the errour of the Papists in this point, I shall also preserve you from the errour of the Semi-Pelagians; who as in sundry other maine articles of our Christian religion so) in this agree to well with the Papists. 2. That the errour of the Papists in the Doctrine of originall sin is maintained by them as a prop and stay to many other of their damnable doctrines, which doe depend upon this. Take away their errour in the doctrine of originall sin, and then their doctrines of 1 freewill, of 2 preparatory works, of 3 the regenerate mans ability to keepe the whole law, of 4 justification by works, of 5 merit cannot stand, but must needs fall to the ground. 3. Because I discerne strong inclinations in many now adayes to thinke better of Popery, then they were wont to do. And yet was popery never worse then it is now; neither was there ever Church or nation that had more cause to detest it then our Church and nation hath; neither had our Church and nation ever more cause to detest it, then at this time.
Now for our entrance into this use of confutation, two generall rules I will give you whereby you may try all doctrines in religion whether they bee of God, or no.
First, That Doctrine and religion that ascribeth any thing to man in the matter of his salvation that giveth unto man any the least cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe; that doth not give all the glory to God, and ascribe the whole praise of mans salvation to the free grace of God alone, that doctrine certainely is not of God. For the maine drift of the holy Scripture is to abase and pull downe the pride of man, to make him even to despaire of himselfe, and to advance and set up the glory of Gods free grace. 1 Cor. 1.29. That no fl…sh may rejoyce in his presence; and verse 31. He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. And Rom. 3.27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law, or doctrine? Of works? Nay, but by the law or doctrine of faith. Where we see the Doctrine of justification by works proved a false doctrine, and the Doctrine of Iustification by faith onelyonly proved a true Doctrine, by this argument because the one leaveth unto man some matter of boasting, the other doth not. So Eph. 2.8, 9. By grace ye are saved, through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should rejoyce. This note our Saviour giveth of a true teacher, Iohn 7.18. He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory; but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousnes is in him. The true teacher doth in his Doctrine and ministery ascribe all glory unto God. And this note Paul giveth of the true Church and religion, Phil. 3.3. We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Iesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. And this is the first rule I said I would give you to try all doctrines and religions by. The true religion giveth all glory to God, and none at all to man.
The second rule is this. That doctrine and religion that is most agreeable to naturall reason and groundeth it selfe upon it, and not upon the holy Scripture onelyonly, that doctrine, and religion certainely is not of God. This rule we find given us, Esa. 8.20. To the law and to the testimony, if they speake not according to this word, it is because there it no light in them. And Iam. 3.15. This wisdome descendeth not from above, but is earthly, naturall foreign and divellish That wisdome that is naturall, agreeable unto & grounded upon naturall reason is not from above, but it is earthly and divelish. For naturall reason is blind as a beetle in these matters. 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man (foreign the very same word that Iames useth) receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Whereas (on the other side) the holy Scriptures are a perfect direction able (as the Apostle saith, 2 Tim. 3.15.) to make a man wise unto salvation; and a sure direction, therefore can never deceive us. Thy testimonies (saith the Prophet, Psal. 93.5.) are very sure. For they were all given by divine inspiration of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. It is Gods Word, 2 Pet. 1.21. The prophesy of the Scripture came not by the will of man, but holy men of God spake (and wrote too) as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So that he that contradicteth the Scripture in any point contradicteth God himselfe. And therefore when the great Antichrist is discribed, 2 Thess. 2.4. this is one chiefe note that is given us to know him by, hee is called foreign one that opposeth himselfe unto, that contradicteth God and his truth.
Now if Christians would make use but of these two rules,Applic. certainely neither Popery nor Pelagianisme would ever deceive them. Apply them to the matter we have now in hand, and it will bee evident unto us, that the doctrine of the Papists, touching originall sin is not of God. For 1. it giveth too much to man, and keepeth him from being so much humbled, and dejected in himselfe as hee ought to be. 2. It directly opposeth, and contradicteth that which the Lord hath expressely spoken in the holy Scriptures.
See this in three points, which they teach touching originall sin.
First. For the nature of originall sin, they teach, that though we be thereby so fettered and snared, yea, so wounded and weakened in our nature, that wee cannot of our selves without the helpe of Gods grace, do any thing that is good, yet some ability is left in our nature, wee can accept of the helpe of Gods grace when it is offered, yea, we can desire it also. We are (say they) like the poore man that was travelling towards Iericho, Luk 10.30. wee are wounded sore, and left halfe dead. And though wee have by originall sin, lost that righteousnesse and perfection of nature, in which man was first created, and are now become by nature, as prone to sin, when occasion is offered, and as apt to take hurt by any tentation, as tinder or touch-wood is to take fire, yet is there not therby any sinfull quality possitively infused into our nature.
Whereas the spirit of God in the holy Scripture speaketh expressely. First. That wee are by nature not only wounded and weakened, and halfe dead, till God quicken us, but dead all out; even the Elect are so by nature, Ephes. 2.1. You hath hee quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, and verse 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath God quickened us. Secondly. That there is in us by nature, no true desire at all to be helped by Gods grace, out of this estate, Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you, both to will, and to doe of his good pleasure, Iohn 8.44. The last of your father ye will doe. And that which our Saviour saith of good wordes, may likewise be said of good desires, Mitch. 12.34. O generation of vipers (and certainly such are we all by nature) how can yee being evill thinke good things, or desire good things. Thirdly. That there is in us by nature, no power nor willingnes to accept of the helpe of Gods grace, when it is offered us, but an utter aversenesse, and unwillingnesse to accept of it, yea, an hatred unto it. That we are apt to say to God, even as the poore possessed man (for certainly such are wee all by nature also, even slaves to the devill, 2. Tim. 2.26.) Luke 4.34. Let us alone, what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? We gain-say, and resist the worke of Gods grace in us, till God by his mighty power do overcome us, Rom. 10.11. All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient, and gaine-saying people. And Rom. 8.7. The carnall mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Fourthly and lastly. That our nature is not onelyonly privatively evill, and corrupt, deprived of originall righteousnes, and apt as tinder is to receive the fire of tentation, but possitively evill, and hath in it a poisonfull and corrupt quality, even the seeds of all sin, that cannot choose but worke and bring forth evill thoughts, and words, and actions, Gen 8.21. The imagination of mans heart is evill (not prone onelyonly to bee evill) from his youth. Yea, cap. 6.5. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, is onelyonly evill continually. Insomuch as wee, even the Elect of God, are by nature ranke enemies to God, and rebells against him. You were (saith the Apostle Col. 1.21.) alienated, and enemies in your minds unto him.
And thus you see, how in this first point of their Doctrine concerning originall sin, they do plead for man, and do directly oppose, and contradict the spirit of God. But the second and third points, are worse then this.
Secondly. They teach that the corruption of our nature, the untowardnesse of our heart to that that is good, that is no sin, no nor the concupiscence and lust that riseth from it, the motions unto evill (what evill soever it bee) that wee feele in our selves, are no sins, till we consent unto them, and obey them, till they raigne in us.
Whereas 1. The spirit of God in the holy Scripture, expressely calleth it sin. As here in this place, Psal. 51.5. I was borne in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive mee. And in three chapters of the Epistle to the Romanes (that is to say, the sixt, seventh, and eight) fourteene times at the least. and Heb. 12.1. The sin that doth so easily beset us. And shall wee say, that that is not properly and indeed a sin, which the holy Ghost so often calleth sin? Secondly. The spirit of God in the holy Scriptures speaketh expressely that our originall corruption is the cause of all actuall sins, that the foulest sins that ever men committed, come all from this root. Every man is tempted (saith the Apostle, Iames 1.14.) when hee is drawne away of his owne lust, and entised. It is our owne corrupt nature that tempteth us, that draweth us away, that entiseth us to all sins. So also the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1.4. saith, all the corruption that is in the world, is through lust. And may wee not truly and properly call that sin, that is the cause of all the foulest sins in the world? May wee not well call that an evill tree, upon which all this evill fruit doth grow? Surely wee may, or else our Saviours rule will faile, Matth. 12.33. The tree is knowne by his fruit. Thirdly. The spirit of God in the holy Scripture teacheth us expressely, that infants, yea infants that are baptized, which have no other sin but this originall sin, and corruption of nature in them, and who never consented to it, nor obeyed it in the lusts thereof, doe dye, Rom. 5 14. Death raigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression. And therefore it must needs be sin, and may be truly, and properly so called; for sin is the only cause of death; and none can dye, but those that are sinners, either by imputation as Christ was, who was made sin for us, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 5.21. or really, and personally, as all Adams posterity are, Rom. 5.12. By one man sin entred into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Fourthly and lastly. The spirit of God in the holy Scriptures expressely teacheth us, that this concupiscence even in the regenerate, these evill motions that rise in us, though we consent not unto them, though wee resist them, are yet a swerving from the law of God, and a breach of it. For the law of God requireth of us, that wee should love the Lord with all our heart, and with all our soule, and with all our strength, and with all our mind, Luke 10.27. And so can we not doe, if there be in our heart, or soules, or mind, at any time, an evill thought, or an evill motion. Yet the Scripture teacheth us, that this concupiscence, or corruption of our nature, even in the regenerate… doth not onelyonly swerve from the law of God, but that it doth oppose and resist the spirit of God. I see (saith the Apostle, Rom. 7.23.) another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. and Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and these are contrary the one to the other. And therefore it must needs be sin. For so the Apostle defineth sin. 1 Iohn 3.4. Sinne is the transgression of the law, foreign is the word, this is to teach us, that every swerving from the Law, is sin. This was the argument that convinced Pauls conscience, Rom 7.7. I had not knowne lust to be a sin, except the Law (in the tenth commandement) had sayd, thou shalt not covet. And what kind of lust, and concupiscence meaneth hee? That which we delight in, or consent unto? No verily, for by the light of nature hee might have knowne that to be a sin; heathen men have acknowledged that to be sin; hee must needs meane that concupiscence, those motions unto evill, which the heart doth not delight in, nor consent unto.
Wee have heard how directly the Papists oppose the spirit of God, in these two points of their Doctrine of Orignall sin; and all to advance the nature of man; but I will shew you yet a greater abomination in their Doctrine, then these two.
Their third errour is farre worse then the former two. For they teach, that the corruption of nature that remaineth in the regenerate, the concupiscence, and evill motions that they have, and consent not to, but resist, are so farre from defiling their good workes, that they make them more meritorious before God, then otherwise they could bee, because they are done, notwithstanding such a combat and resistance, as they find in themselves against them.
I will not trouble you with many words in the confutation of so palpable an errour as this. Two reasons only I will give you against it.
First. If this should be true, then should the obedience, and good workes that mortall, and fraile, and sinfull men, men who have while they carry this flesh about them, many infirmities, and imperfections bee better, and deserve to be more acceptable and pleasing unto God, then the good workes of such as have had no imperfection, no infirmity in them. I grant that God doth indeed in the riches of his grace, and mercy in Christ, accept of our poore services, never the worse for this untowardnesse of our corrupt natures, that wee are faine to combate and struggle with, in the performance of them; according to that of the Apostle, Hebr. 6.10. God is not unrighteous, that hee should forget your worke and labour of love. But to say, that this corruption, and untowardnesse of our nature, the evill thoughts and motions of infidelity, blasphemy, worldlinesse, that trouble us in our best duties, are no sins, doe not at all defile them, but make them the better, and more meritorious in the sight of God, is little better then grosse blasphemy. For then should our poore unperfect, and maimed obedience bee better, and deserve to bee more acceptable unto God, not only then Adams was before his fall, and then that is which the Saints in heaven doe now yeeld unto God, but even then the obedience of Christ himselfe; for he found in himselfe no corruption of nature to struggle with, nor to hinder him in it, as we doe.
My second reason, against this their last errour, is this. That if the corruption of nature, the regenerate are faine to strive withall, doth not at all defile their good workes, but maketh them the more meritorious before God, then certainely would not the choicest of Gods servants, that wee read of in the Scripture, have beene so humbled for it, cryed out, and complained of it unto God, counted themselves so vile, and wretched creatures, by reason of it, as they did. Would David have so complained unto God here, and beene humbled for his naturall corruption, even more then for his adultery, and murder, and would hee have so cryed out of himselfe. Behold, I was borne in iniquitie, and in sinne did my mother conceive mee? And Iob 40.4. Behold, I am vile? And Esay the Prophet, Esa. 6.5. Woe is mee for I am undone? And the Church, Esa. 64.6. We are all as an uncleane man, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs? And the blessed Apostle Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from the body of this death? As if hee had said, this is a death to mee, and nothing so much as this. Would all the Saints of God (I say) have so complained of the corruption of nature that was in them; though it did not reigne in them, though they obeyed it not in the lusts thereof; if they had beleeved, as the Church of Rome beleeveth? If they had esteemed so lightly of it as Papists do? If they had thought it had beene no sinne? If they had beene perswaded it was so farre from defiling their good workes▪ that it made them the better, even more meritorious before God? But I have beene too long in this use of confutation, which (yet) I hope hath not beene altogether unusefull, and unprofitable unto you.